The Russellville Democrat., 1887-02-09
A STRANGE FRENCH STORY.

strange crime, he asked, be other.
wise explained.
Among the reeds, near Chatou, two
dead bodies had been found one morn
ing with their arms twined about each
other-a man and woman--both we'll
known members of fashionable so
ciety, rich, not young, and married
only the year before--the lady having
been three years q widow.
They were not known to have had
any enemies--t the bodies had not been
robbed. 1t appears that they had
both been stabbed with some long.
pointed instrument, and then flung
from the bank into The river.
The inquest has not brought out
any fresh facts. The boatmen OF the
neighborhood were questioned in vain,
and the authorities were on the point
of abandoning the investigation when
ayoung cabinetmaker ofthe neighbour
ing village, named George Louis, and
nicknamed "Le Bourgeois, ''voluntari.
ly gave himself up as the murderer.
In reply to various questions asked,
he answered only this:
81 knew the man for two years;
knew the woman only for six months
past. They used often come to get
me to mend old furniture for them, be-
cause ! am good hand at the bust
ness.
And when they asked him:
what did you kill them for?"
He replied, obstinately:
al killed them because l wanted to
kill them"
Nothing further could be got out OF
him. The man was of Legitimate
birth no doubt; rs child he had been
first left in the care of a paid nurse in
the country, and hadteen subsequent
10 abandoned by his parents. He had
no other real name than George Lou
is, but. as he grew up, he proved to
be n remarkably intelligent boy, with
naturally fine tastes and good man.
ners, and b. comrades had, therefore,
nicknamed him 1.-THE Bourgeois" by
which name alone he became subse-
quently known. He had the reputa-
ton of being remarkably skillful at
the trade OF cabinetmaker, which he
had adopted. He was even able to
do some wood carving. He. was also
said to every excitable in his dispo-
sition--a believer in communistic and
also Nihilistic doctrines--agr great read
er OF sensational novels and tragical
light literature; also man of some
influence at elections, and a first-rate
stump orator at workingmen' meet
ings or political gatherings OF farmers.
The counsel for the defence had
pleaded insanity.
How, indeed, was it possible that
this workman could have knowingly
killed his best customers-rich and
generous customers, as the prisoner
himself had NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. who
had given him more than 3, 700 francs
worth of work to do in the last three
years there were his books to prove
it)? There was only one explanation
possible--insanity--the insanity caus-
ed by the long haunting of one persist
ent idea--the idea OF dectasse, the
man who deems himself social out
cast, and who avenges himself on two
bourgeois OF all the bourgeois. Here
the lawyer made skilful allusion to
the nickna lie of LIE Bourgeois given by
the countr people to this founding,
and he criel out:
as not the very name an irony, and
an irony well calculated to intensity
still more the nervous exaltation OF
this fatherless and motherless boy?
He is an ardent Republican. Nay
what do say? He belongs to that
very same political party which the
republic shot down or transported for
life in former days, but to which she
opens her welcoming arms to-day
the party of those with whom incen-
diaranism is principle, and MUIR
der the most ordinary OF political
methods.
"Those atrocious doctrines-public-
ly proclaimed to-day at mass meet
ings-are the cause OF this mans ruin.
He heard Republicans-yes, he even
heard women, womenl-clamor for the
blood of NJ Gambetta, and for the
blood OF M. Grevy-his ILL balanced
mind capsized under the shock-a
thirst for blood came upon nina
thirst Tor the blood OF the bourgeoisl
sit is not this man should be con-
demned--it is the Communal"
Murmurs ofapplause passed through
the courtroom. Every body felt that
the counsel for the defence had won
his case. The counsel for prosecution
did not even make an attempt to re-
ply.
Then the judge put the usual formal
question to the accused:
Prisoner, do you wish to say any
thing further in your own behalf"
The man got up. He was of low
stature and frail aspect, with flaxen-
fair-hair, and bright steady, gray eyes.
A powerful, frank and sonorous voice
burst from the chest OF the slender
youth, and immediately-with the
utterance OF his very first words-he
entirely changed the opinion that the
audience had previously formed OF
him.
He spoke loudly, and in a declama-
tory manner, but so clearly that
every syllable was plainly audible,
even at the further end OF the vast
court room.
"Your Honor. as do not wish to
be placed in q madhouse, and as |
would prefer even the gullotine, | am
going to tell you all about this affair.
IL killed that man and woman be-
cause they were my parents"
Now listen to me and judge me-"
"A woman was secretly delivered of
a son and sent him far away, some
where, to professional nurse. Did